Film series looks at global sustainability

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Every Tuesday from Sept. 13 through Nov. 15, the languages department will be holding its Global Sustainability Film Series. Made possible with funding from the Elise Elliot Academic Fund, this series consists of 10 international films. It is free to the Pacific community and will be held in the Taylor Auditorium in Marsh Hall.

Language professors Jann Purdy, Marcus Welsh and Center for Languages and International Collaboration Director Erica Andree came up with the idea to not only inspire and inform students about sustainability but to educate from a global level and rather than a local level.

A guest speaker will accompany the showings of the films followed with a discussion of the topic. The film on Sept. 20, “Food Beware,” David Yudkin, co-owner of Hot Lips Pizza in Portland, will be present to talk about his sustainable business as well as the topic of organic and locally grown food. Some films will feature professors as guest speakers.

Films and guests will be announced on posters around campus for the next three films during the week of Sept. 27.

The goal of the series is to bring an international perspective to students at Pacific. The films will show different aspects of sustainability beyond environmental, including food security and education.

Andree said that showing these films would bring new ideas to students. She said that not everyone has the same relationship with the planet and that impacts the way we behave as humans. She hopes that these films will bring awareness on an international level.

“You wouldn’t get this perspective from American media,” said Andree.

Most people are used to seeing the science aspect and she said this would show the side of the humanities as well. It will start out with a pretty traditional view on sustainability but will get more into philosophical views as the series goes on.

Faculty feedback for the event has been positive; Service Learning Coordinator of the Humanitarian Center Ellen Hastay said, “What a wonderful idea. I look forward to coming to as many of these films as possible”.

Some First-Year Seminar faculty are including it in their classes.

The series was set up quickly, as planning has been going on since Aug. 15 and will continue solidifying plans for October and November. All of the films will continue to be in Taylor Auditorium every Tuesday at 6 p.m.

“We really hope that the international responses to sustainability will inspire students to get involved locally,” said Andree.